Trust and Judgement in New Orleans
by Someone on the Street
Summary: CHAPTER 9 POSTED! Years after the events on Moonscar Island, Lena and Simone speak from the grave. Turns out the gang did the wrong thing... Surprise pairing.
1. Chapter 1

**Trust and Judgment in New Orleans**

**Disclaimer: **Scooby-Doo and all related characters are copyrighted to Hanna Barbara.

**Author's Note: **This is dedicated to everyone lost in the 2005-6 storms.

_Well last night I dug your picture out from our old dresser drawer  
I set it on the table and I talked to it 'til four  
Then I read some old love letters right up 'til the break of dawn  
Well tonight I'm sittin' alone diggin' up bones_

_I'm a diggin' up bones, I'm digging up bones  
Exhuming things that's better left alone  
I'm resurrecting memories of a love that's dead and gone  
And tonight I'm sittin' alone diggin' up bones_

_-Randy Travis; Diggin' Up Bones_

The distant clangs and bangs of hammers on wood had by now become long distant to her ears. Heaving a sigh, Daphne Blake stood up and examined the evening sky from her perch atop the frame of a house. She took a moment to marvel at the brilliant horizon, as the twilight hues of blue and lavender faded into a bright reddish orange as the Southern sky descended into slumber.

Slumber. Daphne smiled as she continued to hammer nails into the steadily-growing frame. Didn't sound so bad right now. After all, she and the gang had been working on this project for most of the day.

In a joint decision, Daphne and her executive producer, Fred, had decided to take leave from work on _Coast to Coast_ so they and the rest of Mystery Inc. would be able to assist the rebuilding of New Orleans after the tragedy of Katrina.

They had been in the area for about a week now, spending each day since their arrival in the scorching Southern heat. They did everything from working on buildings to transporting supplies; Daphne even obliged to autographs from her resident watchers. All and all, they would all return to their rooms beat and sore, but it was worth it.

Daphne climbed down the ladder and met the others on solid ground, wiping the sweat from her forehead. The others looked just as exhausted, all of their faces and shoulders reddened from sunburn; despite the pain, everyone was grinning.

"Hey, gang," Fred puffed, "How 'bout we head out for a bite?"

"I could use something. Been too busy to eat today, and now I can feel my stomach eat itself alive," Velma murmured.

"You're not the only one," Daphne grunted. "Didn't even have coffee today." She wrapped her arms around her middle as her stomach agreed in an angry roar.

Shaggy and Scooby had instantaneously agreed and in that time had loaded into the Mystery Machine. Shaggy impatiently honked the horn. The others heard and piled in through the rear doors, all crumbling to the floor in a collective groan.

"Like, all work and no food makes Shaggy and dull boy!" the lanky man joked as the vehicle started to move forward.

Scooby had also flopped down on the floor with the others, his tongue lolling from his mouth, rolling up with every breath. The work and heat combined had turned Scooby into a heap of legs and fur; although if he wasn't so tired he would have agreed to his owner's quip. He closed his eyes and merely enjoyed the feel of the steady lurch of the van.

Fred, Daphne, and Velma murmured amongst themselves as they felt the Mystery Machine begin to slow down. Coming to a gentle halt, their eyes all forced themselves open to be met by the flashing neon of a diner sign through the windshield.

Daphne arched a brow, turning her head to glance at a certain car in the parking lot. Velma heard the low hum from the older woman and followed Daphne's glance, and only blinked.

"What's a police car doing here?" Fred thought aloud. Though it was quickly forgotten as they filed into the diner, greeted with a slow country song playing on the jukebox. The sounds of voices slurred with kitchen utensils enveloped the group; and at the same time the aroma of food from the kitchen emitted a collective growl from their stomachs. They eagerly crammed into a booth, smiling brightly while they were handed menus and glasses of water.

Fred happily tilted his head back and simply gulped the water down in seconds, happy to have the cold water quenching an angry thirst. The others chuckled as he flopped back against the cushion.

"What were you seeing out there, Daph?" Velma asked, sipping her water and neatly folding her hands on the table.

Daphne turned to face the bespectacled woman. "Just watching the sunset. Was sorta thinking about…" She trailed off and thoughtfully glanced at her water before taking a generous gulp.

"Moonscar Island," Velma finished.

"Like, no way, man!" Shaggy whimpered, clinging to his dog and shivering. "That place with zombies, pirates, and real-life Catwoman, times two?" Scooby added to the effect by pointing his ears and hissing, swatting a forepaw like a cat's.

"Relax, Shaggy," Fred chuckled, "It's been years since that incident."

"Like, I know, but…!"

Shaggy's sentence was forgotten instantly as the waitress came with their orders. She gingerly placed their plates in front of everyone at the table. All the while the gang had to restrain themselves from attacking the meals – at least until the waitress had removed her hands from the danger zone. The food vanished within fifteen minutes.

Velma's eyes had been quietly drifting the area, but sat up when she spotted a familiar form a few booths down. She started tapping Daphne on the shoulder, though getting the attention of the rest of her cohorts in return.

Feeling eyes on him while he ate, the stranger in question turned around, instantly recognizing the five faces watching him.

"Didn't think I'd see you again!" Beau Neville exclaimed.

The joyous chatter and catching-up was silenced as a voice came from a radio strapped to the officer's belt.

"Neville, come quick! Another one of those ghost reports came in…and this one looks bad!"


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

_Make her think about the moonlit walks_  
_And the long, long talks by the waters' edge_  
_With her feet hanging off the Cane Creek Bridge_  
_And bring to mind the first kiss we shared_  
_At the old town square when she drives down there_  
_'Cause that's a day she said she could never forget_  
_Keep the nights by the candlelight_  
_As an ace in the hole_  
_'Cause those are nights of passion_  
_That I know will bring her home_

_-Chris Cagle; Laredo_

No sooner than when he finished speaking with the other officer over the speaker, Beau was already running at full speed to his car. As he passed, the others all heard his murmur of, "Not again.." And he vanished through the door.  
"C'mon," Fred interjected, practically leaping from the booth. "Let's see what's going on." Shaggy and Scooby remained in their places, arms crossed.  
"Like, no way," Shaggy replied while Scooby added a punctual shake of his head. "Like, Scoob and I aren't heading out there."  
Daphne rolled her eyes. "Fine. Suit yourselves." She, Fred, and Velma started toward the door, leaving the remaining two members of the gang where they had left them. Shaggy glanced at his canine friend with a quizzical glance, one in which the Great Dane reciprocated.  
"Like, that didn't work out as I had planned."  
They both shivered and looked about, the thoughts of just what was being reported making them tremor so loudly that the booth started to quake beneath them. It seemed that not knowing what may be after them was just as bad as going to meet it in the first place.  
Not five minutes passed before they scrambled outside after the others, their arms flailing high above their heads. "Like, hey! Wait for me!" Scooby whined loudly to add to the effect.  
The Mystery Machine was outside, already running as the other three were seated in their traditional arrangement. Fred laughed and unlocked the doors.  
"We were just waiting for you," Velma joked, opening the sliding door and hoisting them in, "We don't have much time."  
Fred punched the gas, and they steadily followed Beau's patrol car to the scene.  
Beau looked into his rearview mirror to spot the familiar van behind him; he would have obeyed his instinct and try to tell them to leave the situation alone, but he had seen what they could do – and this situation called for just such skills.  
The buildings began to thin out as the two vehicles traveled out of central New Orleans and closer to the outskirts. As the night sky above became darker and darker, the road continued to venture further out into the swamps.  
Daphne's mind wandered back to earlier, when she had been watching the sunset a few hours prior; come to think of it, there was something that seemed to be pulling her to look at the swamps…  
The group met with Beau outside a small home on the waters' edge. The red and blue lights from the police cars splashed over the tree trunks and the home itself. Inside, all the lights were on and the group could hear the cry of a baby from somewhere inside, along with the mixed voices of both the residents and the officers while questions and answers shot back and forth.  
"Officer Foldvik?" Beau asked, approaching a grizzled, stout man on the porch.  
"Officer Neville," came the slow response; his eyes moved to the other five near the younger man. "Who're they?"  
"Friends of mine," Beau replied. "They may be able to help us."  
"How so?" A smirk crossed Foldvik's face as he eyed the other two with what almost seemed to be humor. Had it not been for the seriousness of the situation, he would have laughed.  
"They deal with supernatural phenomena," Beau added sharply. "Just tell them about the attacks. Trust me, Foldvik."  
Foldvik sighed to himself and glanced briefly at the details of the report. Neville had never lied to another officer, especially about things like this. So the older man agreed to it.  
"Well, this's the fifth attack this month," he murmured. "Though, these aren't vandals or crooks."  
"Why is that?" Fred asked after a short pause.  
"Cause vandals and crooks can't pass through walls."  
Fred arched a brow. Daphne stepped forward and asked, "You sure it's not a hologram?"  
"Young lady," Foldvik sighed, shaking his head, "If that were a hologram, then it's the first time I'd seen one who could plow a man over. Didn't even steal anything, him and his buddies are always running through the streets, breaking things and coming after any living thing they see. It's had this neighborhood up in arms since it happened."  
"Can you describe the suspects?" Velma asked.  
"Sure," Foldvik nodded, thumbing through the notepad. "There were about five or six of them, all dressed as pirates. Their leader was a big man, always wore a big coat, a worn old captain's hat. He's got a long white beard and a scar around his left eye."  
The gang all seemed to have gone pale at the moment, frozen in their tracks. They excused themselves from the officers and huddled.  
"I think I know who he's talking about," Daphne whispered.  
"Morgan Moonscar," Velma added, getting a nod from Daphne.  
"I thought we got rid of him and his cronies last time we were here," Fred interjected.  
"Apparently something is keeping them from their rest," Velma remarked thoughtfully.  
"You know what this means, right?" Daphne asked, eyeing her friends knowingly. "Tell Beau that we're going to investigate Moonscar Island."  
"Like, I was afraid she was going to say that!" Shaggy gulped, getting an affirmative nod from his dog.  
Fred moved toward the van while Daphne and Velma went to feed Beau the information. He stopped as he spotted a small white cat near the drivers' door. He knealt down.  
"Well, hello there," he coaxed, attempting to attract the feline's attention. It worked. The blue eyes flicked toward him and just watched. For some reason the animal seemed familiar to Fred as it strode away from its perch.  
Satisfied at the feline was away from the van, he climbed in, watching the cat to make sure it wouldn't dart into hitting range of the vehicle. In the process, Fred took a split second to look the other way to start the ignition.  
He looked back.  
The cat had vanished.

Chapter 3 SOON! Stay tuned!


	3. Chapter 3

_You stormed off to scar the armada_  
_Like Jesus played letter_  
_I'll drill through your hands_  
_The stone for the curse you have blamed me_  
_With love and devotion, I'll die as you sleep_  
_But if you could just write me out_  
_To neverless wonder... happy will I become_  
_Be true that this is no option,_  
_So with sin I condemn you_  
_Demon play, demon out!_

_Hang on to the glory at my right hand_  
_Here laid to rest is our love ever longed_  
_With truth on the shores of compassion_  
_You seem to take premise to all of these songs_

_-Coheed and Cambria; Welcome Home_

"What you wanna go to that place for?" Snakebite Scruggs growled irritably at Beau on the dock. "Been empty for damn near 10 years, now."  
Beau was quickly losing patience with the stubborn fisherman. He sighed and thought a moment, his eyes moving over the surface of the dark water. He straightened his posture and responded, "Look, Mr. Scruggs. We have to go out to that island. There may be clues about those pirates' attacks over there, and your boat is the only one available."  
"Guess you're right," Scruggs grumbled, walking calmly toward his boat. "Since th' city decided to auction off that ol' ferry. Coulda used that." A rueful smile crossed his lips, as if having proudly made a point to the officer and his charges.  
"Look," Beau sighed, "This is very important. People are getting hurt; the last thing we need is someone else getting hurt or even killed all because you were too ornery to transport us to the island."  
"Alright, alright..!" Snakebite growled, his voice raising slightly while he climbed over the rail and onto the vessel. "All aboard, then. But hurry up…I haven't been out to look for Big Mona today."  
"Thank you." Beau's reply sounded more like relief than anything, having finished his argument with the fisherman and winning. Everyone was quick to move, all of them jumping easily over the rail. With a nod, Snakebite fired up the motor and they were all drifting down the bayou within seconds.  
"He's still looking for that fish?" Daphne asked Beau, who only smirked.  
"I didn't have the heart to tell him that someone else already caught it last summer."  
"How compassionate." Daphne's tone was painted with sarcasm as she continued glancing ahead.  
After about 15 minutes of silence, the trees parted to reveal a familiar island looming on the horizon and moving closer. Scooby and Shaggy both whimpered, clinging to each other.  
"Finally. Rid of you pests," Snakebite snapped as everyone loaded onto the Moonscar Island dock.  
"We love you, too," Beau smirked, waving as the boat took off down the bayou. He laughed, looking at the others, who seemed just as uncomfortable as he was in this particular spot. "The sheriff will come in this afternoon."  
With that, they started down the path: Beau leading, then Fred, Daphne, and Velma – who was dragging Shaggy by the collar, while Scooby trotted at his side, clearly amused.  
"Gee, some friend you are!" Shaggy whined amid his struggle.  
The road had become overgrown from lack of travel; the group occasionally trudging through clusters of shrubs and weeds; their stomachs even wretched when they spotted ancient tire tracks of their van here and there.  
As the group rounded a bend, the remains of a rickety wooden bridge stood; the last leg onto the Lenoir Plantation property.  
"Like, bridge is out. Guess we're out of here!" Shaggy said joyfully, turning on one heel as he and Scooby prepared themselves to make their exit. But, just as they had expected, their plans were thwarted as Fred and Daphne grabbed their collars.  
"We're not going anywhere but onto that property," Fred told them calmly.  
Daphne gestured to a few trees that had fallen to create makeshift bridges. "Besides, there's plenty of logs we can cross. C'mon."  
The crossing was a smooth operation, and as they reached the bank to look at the house, all of them stood, open-mouthed and shocked.  
All that was left of the old mansion was a few crumbling walls. The rest of it was in the form of debris, scattered all over the island – there were even planks dangling in the trees.  
Despite their queasiness, the intrepid group moved on.  
Pieces of police tape had also wrapped themselves in the branches, ancient signs of long-ago investigations made by the police department after the demise of the plantation's caretakers.  
"Okay, so our ghost is Moonscar's crew," Fred thought aloud, "But…didn't he get his spirit released after we…set him free?"  
"Well, spirits have reasons for haunting," Velma added. She had been a skeptic before, but this incident had opened her mind to possibilities.  
"Maybe," Daphne murmured, glancing toward the open cave in the floor of what was once the main lobby,. The secret passageway that used to be covered by a staircase. "Sudden death, maybe? Though the reports say the ghost is clearly angry." She turned to Beau. "Was there anything taken from the island, maybe?"  
Beau's stomach dropped to his feet. "Yes. We salvaged some artifacts from the area. They're now in a museum in central New Orleans." Without another word, he began to move toward the steps that descended into the tunnel. He flicked on a flashlight as the others moved cautiously down the crumbling steps.  
Almost afraid to breathe as they moved, Velma shuddered as she could still make out the footprints from that time, having been protected by the ceiling above. The halls were dark, damp; somewhere in the distance they could hear water dripping.  
As the hall began to narrow, they were met by an old wooden door. Shaking as they all pushed it open, and shaking more as they stepped into the familiar cavern. It was humid, but colder than the rest of the tunnels.  
The opening to the ground above had let in enough rain to wash out the bottom, the result being a thick carpet of black mud that covered most of the floor. The bricks that were visible had sufficient water damage, cracked and breaking.  
Daphne shivered as she spotted a few familiar pieces of clothing scatter about, and she froze when she saw something shining in the mud. She stooped, picking it up and brushing it off. Examining the article carefully, she froze.  
It was a pendant. Carved from jade, and in the shape of a feline head, and hanging on a black cord.  
Just then, all went black for Daphne. She was fully aware of her surroundings, but could not move. It was as if she was watching herself; she felt her arms moving, but couldn't control them. Felt her posture stiffen as her arms placed the article of jewelry over her head. She pivoted to meet the group, who merely stared, wide eyed at their companion.  
"Daphne, what in the…?" Fred started. But Velma stopped him.  
"No.." the bespectacled woman gasped. She might have been playing off of a hunch here, and her throat tightened, stepping closer to the redhead. The older woman merely stared at her with a stoic glance, much unlike Daphne.  
Velma choked, struggling to find the right thing to say.  
"Simone?"  
The gang, Beau included, stared at Velma incredulously, then toward the redhead, who merely nodded.  
"Yes."

Author's Note: Chapter 4 is nearly done; keep your eyes peeled and don't forget to review! Thanks!


	4. Chapter 4

_At the end of the world_  
_Or the last thing I see_  
_You are_  
_Never coming home_  
_Never coming home_  
_Could I? Should I?_  
_And all the things that you never ever told me_  
_And all the smiles that are ever ever..._  
_Ever..._

_Get the feeling that you're never_  
_All alone and I remember now_  
_At the top of my lungs in my arms she dies_  
_She dies_

_-My Chemical Romance; The Ghost of You_

Shaggy laughed nervously, walking up to Daphne, as Scooby brought up the rear. The lanky man nudged her shoulder, feeling it stiffen the instant it was touched.  
"Like, okay, Daph," he chuckled. "Joke's over! Ha ha, it was funny, you had us going…!" He added in a light, airy laugh, as Scooby added to it, nodding and twiddling his paws anxiously.  
All this act earned from the woman was a glare, extremely out of Daphne's range of demeanor.  
"Young man, I am not joking."  
All of them stiffened, almost choking from holding their own breath as Daphne's voice began to take on a deep French accent. Instinctively, Shaggy and Scooby jumped back and away as she took a few steps forward, slow and almost floating.  
"Listen," she instructed with a sharp roll of her tongue. "We know why you are here. You want the phantom attacks from Moonscar's crew to cease."  
"What.. How did you know?" Fred asked worriedly. He even took a step forward and looked Daphne in the eyes – and knew that Simone was staring back out through them.  
"The answer is simple," came that deep voice. "You removed artifacts from the island, displaced them elsewhere. In other words, you made them angry for theft."  
Theft? Of what? The others looked around, and noted the absence of a number of items: the torches on the wall, the table, even the moon dial and the large feline statue that was once near the wall. It was as if they had all been given a good cuff in the head as they finally realized that the items had been missing.  
"And it affected you as well?" Velma asked, getting a nod.  
"Yes. You see, things that belonged here are no longer here. And, as long as Moonscar's crew is causing tyranny, we cannot allow ourselves to rest knowing others are getting harmed."  
"What do you care?" Fred asked bitterly. "Being that you deliberately tried to kill us those years ago."  
Her eyes fell. "As I'd mentioned, we had been cursed. The Cat God not only controlled our transformation, but controlled our minds. During those times, the God's powers took over our mental states as well as our physical – to us, it was like we were watching our actions, but not being able to protest."  
The others looked at each other. She continued, sighing heavily.  
"Lena and I attempted suicide, but we were unable to die. We'd just… keep waking back up…" The woman's body was shaking visibly.  
"So..it wasn't your intention?" Velma asked. Daphne's head snapped up angrily.  
"No..!" Tears brimmed in her eyes.  
"We were slaves to the Cat God, we were doomed! And when the time of the Harvest moon came, we were unable to control it! Believe me, you are talking to someone who wants to help."  
Fred was unconvinced. "What about the curse?"  
"When we died," Her eyes were tired and calm. "It was like being set free. Thank you. In death, our ties to the Cat God were broken, the curse was lifted."  
"So," Fred murmured. "You're… normal?"  
She nodded.  
"And you said you could help?" Velma asked. "How so?"  
"Lena and I eliminated him. He has been avoiding us, for fear that we would prevent them from their rampaging."  
"Why are you still here, then?" Velma asked.  
The older woman's shoulders slumped. "Because without the lycanthropic abilities, we are powerless. He is too strong, and we are outnumbered; for the most part you are talking to me before we were cursed."  
"So, are you going to help us?" Fred asked.  
Daphne's head nodded. "We are powerless in these forms. Moonscar's crew will flee when they sense our energy sneaking up on him. We need a guise."  
"What kind of guise?" Velma asked softly.  
"Mortal."  
They all gasped. Would bringing Lena and Simone be a bad idea? Although Simone's explanation made all sense, they wouldn't have anything by now without the house. The curse was lifted from them in death.  
"Would you still have your changing abilities?" Velma asked. Daphne's head curtly shook.  
"No. When we died, our bonds were severed."  
Fred pondered a moment. After all, they wouldn't have any other way to get a hold of Moonscar's crew, since Lena and Simone were their only source of viable information. Otherwise, people would continue to get hurt. As he looked at Daphne, who was serving as a vessel for Simone, he noted her broken posture; he was able to tell that Simone was willing to allow him to take control of the situation.  
He turned to the others, then back at Daphne's form, who promptly came to a stand to meet his eyes.  
"How do we make you mortal?"

Author's Note: Things are really kicking up! Hope you're enjoying! :) Chapter 5 coming soon!


	5. Chapter 5

_She's always lived for tomorrow_  
_She's never learned how_  
_To live for today_  
_She's dyin' to try something foolish_  
_Do something crazy_  
_Or just get away_  
_Something for herself for a change_

_Is there life out there_  
_So much she hasn't done_  
_Is there life beyond_  
_Her family and her home_  
_She's done what she should_  
_Should she do what she dares_  
_She doesn't want to leave_  
_She's just wonderin_  
_Is there life out there_

_-Reba McEntire; Is There Life Out There_

Daphne's head sharply turned to the empty space where the cat altar had once stood. Her dark eyes turned back toward Fred, whose expression of disbelief had faded, if only a little.  
"You need a physical attribute of the deceased," she explained softly, then moving toward the far wall. The way Daphne moved with Simone's gait was something that sent a shiver up the spines of the others. She moved fluidly, as if she wasn't even touching the ground. She came to a halt at a low table that had once been placed at the side of the altar.  
The others moved closer, except for Shaggy and Scooby, who merely stayed at a safe distance, clinging to each other and shivering. Fred, then Velma, then Beau followed their companion's gaze to the surface of the table. And they caught their breath.  
Two wax dolls, clearly remnants of that fateful night several years ago. They had been off the ground and out of the rain, and for the most part there was little to no damage. They must have been disregarded and placed aside during the original police investigation. They were the same size, and shaped like Lena and Simone. However, the wear and tear and long gotten to the pieces of clothing attached, and they had long since rotted away.  
"Voodoo dolls?" Velma shot a cool glance in Daphne's direction, to which the older woman nodded after a brief pause.  
"Yes. The same principle. Attach something that belonged to the deceased to the doll. It is basically what will keep us in the limbo between mortality and spectral."  
"So," Fred inquired, "As long as the doll is undamaged, you stay in your mortal forms." Daphne's head nodded.  
"You will use this," Daphne's hand gestured to the jade pendant, "for me." She gingerly picked up the Lena figure and held it with some hint of endearment. "As for Lena…"  
The shards of clothing had also succumbed to decomposition. At that point, Velma spotted a light shimmer in the pitch darkness. Moving closer with some caution, the reached down.  
"Jinkies! Hey, guys! What about this?"  
Everyone turned and saw a single golden hoop between Velma's fingers. One of Lena's earrings.  
A smile graced Daphne's lips. "That is perfect, Velma. I appreciate it."  
Daphne handed the pendant to Fred. "Attach the items to the dolls." She wandered toward the spot to where, on that fateful night, the three of them had been freed of their curse. "Bring them here and place them down afterward."  
Fred gently wound the cord around the Simone figure several times, securing the pendant on the front of the doll. Velma clasped the earring around the waist of the Lena doll. It didn't take long. In no time they had followed the instructions and moved to place them near Daphne's feet.  
"What now?" Beau asked skeptically.  
It wasn't long before his question answered when Daphne's form crumpled to the ground in a sudden rush. Fred opted to run to her side, but when he saw Daphne reach out and grasp each doll in her hands, everyone stopped.  
The ground felt as if it were shaking under them, even though they saw nothing moving. The dolls began to glow a faint, pale light as Daphne's voice was heard murmuring faster and faster, panting with every phrase of what seemed to be an awkward free verse poem.

_Redeem, redeem, redeem_  
_Redeem myself and my companion_  
_We have done wrong_  
_But we wish to make it right_  
_Free our souls from the island_  
_Give us a chance to be worthy of forgiveness!_

The small cave began to get brighter, coming from an unknown light source. Brighter and bright it got, until everyone began to squint. A distant ringing in everyone's ears started by now, as everyone stepped back. Scooby even howled.  
A flash. A bright, blinding white light. It all only lasted for a split second. And it was over.  
Fred and Velma were the first to open their eyes. It was dark again. The others followed suit. Flurries of ash and dust danced about them, falling to the ground in what seemed to take an eternity.  
Only when the dust clear did the group dares to raise their eyes.  
Daphne was now joined by two other women. Both were dressed in billowing 18th century attire. One of them was tall and pale, with green eyes and long blonde hair that was pulled back into a bun. At Daphne's opposite side was a considerably younger woman, with dusky skin and curled ebony hair that spilled loosely over her shoulders, despite the crimson bandana tied around it. Her rich brown eyes were focused on Daphne, gently offering herself as a crutch to help Daphne stand. Could it be? Who else would it be?  
Simone and Lena. 

Author's Note: Hope y'all are having fun! Now the culture shock begins! Ha! Reviews are appreciated! Thanks!


	6. Chapter 6

_There will be times on this journey_  
_All you'll see is darkness_  
_Out there somewhere daylight finds you_  
_If you keep believing_

_So don't run, don't hide_  
_It will be all right_  
_You'll see, trust me_  
_I'll be there watching over you_

_Just take a look through my eyes_  
_There's a better place_  
_somewhere out there_  
_Just take a look through my eyes_  
_Everything changes_  
_You'll be amazed what you'll find_  
_If you look through my eyes_

_-Phil Collins; Look Through My Eyes_

There they were in the flesh, Simone Lenoir and Lena DuPree, standing before the rest of the group in shock. The feeling was mutual from the gang themselves, who were wordless, motionless, save for their expressions.

Except for Shaggy and Scooby.

"Like, don't hurt us!" Shaggy pleaded. Scooby whined and held up his huge forepaws in a begging pose.

"Don't r-rain our rife forces..!" the Great Dane wailed.

Daphne shook her head and murmured a little as her mind cleared, still dazed from the episode. Sensing that she was leaning on someone's shoulder, she looked to her left – to see Lena's worried smile.

"Are ya alright..?" she asked nervously, then Daphne remembered. Only a little.

"…Lena?" Daphne asked, squinting. The other woman sheepishly scratched her head.

"Uhm. Y-yes…" Lena responded, looking away.

"Can you stand on your own?" a strong, French accented voice boomed from her other side. This made Daphne jump, rather startled by the strong tone of Simone Lenoir.

"Like, she can now!" Shaggy joked with a whimper, as Velma grabbed Daphne's arm and hurried her back to her friends.

"So!" Fred piped in, attempting to clear the tension. "It's really you. No cat demon, just…human?" He stepped forward, examining them with sharp blue eyes. Simone nodded uncomfortably. She didn't like the way this young man was boring into them with his transfixed gaze, but she really couldn't blame him.

"Just us," she rumbled softly. Lena took a step backward, immediately catching Daphne's attention. Against Velma's protest, Daphne stepped toward the dark haired woman as she suddenly felt anger boiling up inside her.

"As a warning, Miss DuPree," Daphne stated rather curtly, "You are not to try any of your wiles while I'm around." The redhead held the Lena doll in her hands. "Cause if you do…I'll break this and send you right back where you came from." She grasped the doll in her hands and Lena winced, putting her hands up.

"Miss Blake, that wasn't me! That was the cat god's influence! I don't know if there's any way I can prove that other than to just tell you- it wasn't me. That's not me.." Lena blurted out in a panic. Simone pushed herself between Daphne and Lena, looking into Daphne's eyes calmly, yet sternly.

"She is telling the truth, Daphne. Do not be cruel to her. After all, we are here to help you," she added softly, still shielding her young companion from Daphne's wrath. Daphne always found herself nervous around Simone and she faltered, swallowing hard and slinking away.

Simone turned back to Fred. "Because we are freed," she began, "the cat god will be in pursuit. While what you have done several years ago was of good intent, it only made things worse."

"What do you mean?" Velma inquired.

"We chose our sacrifices carefully," Simone replied. "The spice traders stole our land, they made Lena here a slave because she was, according to the times, a lower class citizen because of her ethnicity. Others included mobsters, murderers… We kept a careful eye on the news coverage over the years."

"What about the tourists?" Velma asked.

"He abused his wife. Saw it firsthand at the market so when he left her there, I lured him to the island to get his just desserts," Lena growled.

"The soldiers?" Fred added.

"They were wanted fugitives posing as soldiers. Killed the men themselves and took their uniforms," Simone informed.

"But you said the demon possessed you," Daphne interjected.

"While the rest of the time we were our normal selves," Simone replied, "We used our time to gather our resources and track down any wrongdoers in the area as the harvest moon approached. We'd lure them, stall for time, and then when the demon took over, our sacrifices were still doing some form of good."

"We still didn't feel much better for it," Lena sighed. Her shoulders slumped a little. She felt something cold touch her hand and she peered down to see Scooby had nudged his muzzle under her hand and wagging his tail. Timidly, she petted the top of his head. You could always count on the dog to be forgiving, and she was grateful for the gesture.

"..In a way…" Fred mused, putting a hand to his chin, "you guys were a bit like crimefighters."

"I-I wouldn't necessarily go that far," Simone said grimly, but with a slight grin. "Just…making do with what had happened to us."

"Wait!" Beau suddenly barked, getting everyone's attention, "Why did you hire me as the gardener, then? I don't have a criminal record."

"We were trying to get help," Lena replied, "we knew you were actually a detective. Miss Lenoir and I were ready with confessions and all, but every time we tried to bring it up…"

"..The demon?" Velma asked. Lena nodded.

"It…it would choke us into silence, and we'd pass out," Lena whimpered.

"…And all this time I thought it was a heat stroke or seizure that caused those episodes," Beau replied softly.

"He even took Miss Lenoir to the emergency room after one incident," Lena pointed out. A cross look came upon Simone's face – obviously she wasn't fond of this story.

"What happened?" Fred asked.

"She woke up and punched the doctor in the face," Lena giggled.

"…I was merely startled!" Simone huffed.

"She's afraid of doctors," Lena whispered to Scooby. The dog stifled a giggle with his new friend and Simone glared at Lena, who only flashed a huge, cheesy grin.

"And… Why us?" Velma asked, stepping forward.

"We needed help," Simone sighed. "We had read of your exploits for years. When we had heard that Daphne's program was coming into New Orleans, I sent Lena out immediately to retrieve you. But the demon had too strong of a grip by that time and we could not control the evil any longer. We wanted the zombies stopped, all of those horrible people sent away and in turn, we wanted to be set free as well."

"Like, but you were set free," Shaggy added.

"We were, but the pirate crew are now running rampant, as well as other unsavory people we'd sacrificed. Without Lena and I, they were freed to do whatever they please. All the while the cat god knows we're mortals again and will do anything to put a stop to it. The spirits are working under its instruction."

"Instructions? Like what?" Velma asked.

"To get more mortals to drain souls for it," Lena answered. "We betrayed it and it will ensure that we don't defeat it. Those spirits don't want to cross over as we did. Instead they want to continue as they did in life, making the mortal world a living hell. We can't rest until we know the mortal world is safe."

Just then a beetle crawled across Scooby's paw. With a wild yelp, he leapt up and landed in Lena's arms – her legs tangled in her long skirt - and they both toppled over.

As the atmosphere of the scene lightened, Daphne gasped as she glanced at the womens' attire. Catching it, Lena looked up. "What's wrong..?" she drawled, as Scooby whimpered repeated sorrys nearby.

"You are not leaving this island looking like that," Daphne replied, unintentionally sounding snappy. She was obviously still suppressing the anger she'd felt toward Lena.

Both Lena and Simone looked down to see that their clothing was, well, quite dated. And that was an understatement.

"What do you suggest?" Simone asked.

Daphne and Velma exchanged glances.

"I don't think I'm gonna like this," Lena said.

A short time later the male members of Mystery Inc, Beau included, stood outside the Mystery Machine and listened to four female voices squabbling from inside the van. A lot of scuffling could be heard, which made Shaggy and Scooby both cast puzzled looks.

"Ack! Too tight!" came Simone's voice.

"Stop whining," Daphne said.

"Do you really have to watch me? Turn around!" Lena cried.

"You two don't have anything Daph and I haven't seen before. Unless you have explosives strapped to your chest," Velma joked.

The door opened as Daphne and Velma hopped out. When the other two didn't follow them, they turned around as if addressing their children to follow.

"Oh, stop being babies," Velma sighed.

"I feel…exposed," Lena murmured.

With an exasperated sigh, both Daphne and Velma reached into the rear doors of the van and forced Lena and Simone into the open.

There they stood. Lena was wearing one of Daphne's dress suits, pale lavender miniskirt with matching heels and jacket, underneath which was a green tank top. Beside her stood Simone, in one of Velma's red skirts, Mary Janes, and the bulky orange sweater. The one thing that the two outfits had in common was the one thing that really made conservative ladies like Lena and Simone uncomfortable: the length of the skirts. All the while they were sheepishly tugging the skirts, trying to hide their thighs.

"Please, you two!" Daphne chuckled. " You look fine!" She rushed over and gently urged them to stop and stand up.

Lena glanced at Simone and openly laughed. "Orange ain't your color, Miss Lenoir."

"Well," Velma added in defense of Simone, "There wasn't anything else big enough to fit over Simone's… How do I put this… Certain assets."

Her face flushing, Simone swiftly crossed her arms over her chest.

As everyone (except Lena and Simone, of course) burst out laughing, Lena felt a pat on her back. Turning, she glanced over her shoulder to see Beau, chuckling and shaking his head.

"No worries, girls," he assured them, "You look fine."

**Author's Note:** This chapter was a challenge, but very enjoyable to work on. J Hope you enjoy it! Let me know what you think and what you think should happen next!


	7. Chapter 7

_Don't fret precious I'm here, step away from the window  
Go back to sleep  
Safe from pain and truth and choice and other poison devils,  
See, they don't give a f- about you, like I do._

Count the bodies like sheep  
Count the bodies like sheep  
Counting bodies like sheep  
To the rhythm of the war drums

_A Perfect Circle; Rhythm of the War Drums_

As the Mystery Machine rumbled into the busier section of New Orleans' French Quarter, the people inside were all finding it relatively difficult to retain personal space. Fred, Velma, and Daphne all sat in the front seat, while the back was crammed tight with bodies. The chairs and computer equipment that protruded from the walls were not helping and with every pothole, someone hit something.

"So," Velma started, turning to the back in time to see Beau fall out of the swivel chair as the van turned rather sharply, "We need to locate the artifacts. Detective Neville, do you know where they were taken?"

"Mmmmph, grmmmgh, ar, aruunghah," came Beau's reply. Velma looked baffled, until she leaned over the seat to see that Scooby had fallen on top of the detective, pinning him face down. She sighed, and rolled her eyes. "Sorry about this. It's not the most desirable arrangement, I'm sure."

Fred made another turn and Lena spun around in the other swivel chair, several times. Simone reached over and grabbed it, and the younger woman's eyes crossed as the chair was suddenly stopped.

"The artifacts were taken to the museum downtown," Beau grunted, gently pushing the Great Dane off of him and sitting up.

"We have to get there as soon as possible," Simone added softly.

"You got it," Fred replied, nodding.

"Fred, you missed it," Daphne said, pointing to the gigantic building they had just passed.

"Whoops. Okay, I'm making a U-turn," Fred told everyone, lurching the vehicle around.

Everyone fell out of their seats.

As they parked, Shaggy managed to pull the sliding door open and everyone practically leapt out onto solid ground, glad to be alive.

They paid admission and walked inside after dressing Scooby up in some spare costume garments from the Mystery Machine and naming him "Uncle George". Standing up, he towered over six feet and surprisingly enough, was able to move with little difficulty on his two hind legs.

"The guard fell for that?" Simone gasped, looking at Daphne. The redhead shrugged.

"They usually do," she answered plainly.

Simone briefly wondered about the intellect of the guard.

They browsed through various exhibits, ranging from dinosaurs to vintage taxidermy to wild west displays and WWI and WWII. Beau lead the way, since he'd visited the museum on a regular basis and was secretly a history buff. They stopped in front of the entrance to a hallway labelled "LOUISIANA HISTORY". Without a word, they moved down the hall and found themselves in the middle of a rather extravagant exhibit.

Wax figures stood around them on all sides, dressed in extravagant garments as they acted out key scenes in the state's history. A particular scene portraying slaves made Lena choke a little bit on saddening memories, and noticing, the detective gently took her arm and nudged her from the scene.

"Bad memories?" he asked her softly. She nodded.

As cat effigies began to show up in display cases they passed, a lump formed in Fred's throat. They even began to recognize small pieces that were collected from the mansion after it was deserted. Lena and Simone were both wide-eyed, and it could have been because they were becoming frightened with all these reminders of their ruthless former deity.

"It'll be okay," Beau assured them. "We have your backs."

Scooby yelped and bolted forward, crashing into the two women from behind.

"…That's not exactly what I meant," Beau grumbled.

"Like, hey! Scoob- err, Uncle George found it!" Shaggy cried.

Everyone's gaze went directly to the lanky man, as he pointed a trembling hand off to the side. Following the hand, they were now staring at a gargantuan feline statue. The stern look on its stone face seemed to pierce all of them, and Beau could have sworn he heard Simone snarl a little. Lena stepped back and whimpered.

Next to the statue was the old ritual table, decorated with other articles found in the underground chamber on the island.

Just then, Simone's eye caught a flash of clothing- turning her head, she saw something just peeking out of the shadows – anger boiled inside of her stomach as she saw the familiar coat of Morgan Moonscar himself. Before he could get a chance to move, she rushed him and plowed into him with all of her weight.

THUD!

"I'll send you to hell, you swine!" she roared, clawing at her victim. Even though she could no longer change, she could still claw and tear effectively with her human hands.

As everyone surrounded her, Simone halted her rampage as she saw everyone's long stares. Sensing something was seriously wrong, she finally asked, "What…?" She was holding the pirate captain's head down under both hands, sitting on his back.

Velma and Daphne reached over and pulled Simone off of her quarry and Velma gestured to the scene at their feet.

"Good job, Simone, you have defeated a wax dummy."

Lena giggled. Simone glared. The gang realized this was going to be a continuous thing with the pair.

Just then, Lena's sharp cry sliced through the air and she went flying to the tile floor, landing flat on her back. "Oof!"

Everyone rushed into action and found Lena catching her breath and holding her shoulder. Scooby whined softly and licked her cheek, then looked up at the others. "Rhi smrell brlood…!" His ears pinned back against his skull as Beau gingerly moved Lena's hand from her shoulder.

A clear cut tore directly across the lavender fabric, exposing Lena's skin underneath. The skin itself had an identical cut, though not very deep although it was bleeding freely.

"That looks like it was done with a sword," Velma gasped, taking a closer look.

"…A _pirate's_ sword…" Simone added.


	8. Chapter 8

_The urge to run, the restlessness  
The heart of stone I sometimes get  
The things I've done for foolish pride  
The me that's never satisfied_

_The face that's in the mirror  
When I don't like what I see  
I guess that's just the cowboy in me_

_Tim McGraw; The Cowboy in Me_

"Before we do anything else," Velma declared, "We have to get Lena patched up before infection sets in."

The group returned to the Mystery Machine, content with the information they had gathered during their museum visit. Their minds swam with information:

The artifacts were in heavily guarded displays.

These spirits were heavily armed.

Judging by the injury on Lena's shoulder, the roaming criminals were not at all interested in being returned to the spirit world.

Everyone crowded into the back. As the group discussed their findings, Velma tapped Daphne on the shoulder.

"C'mon, Daph. I need your help administering first aid."

As Velma asked Lena to remove the jacket, Daphne momentarily scowled at the damage done to one of the favorite jackets. Not only was it torn, it was stained with blood – Lena's blood. At that moment Daphne reached into a deep, dark part of her mind as she wished she could see more of Lena's blood spilled – just not on any of her belongings.

"Daph?" Velma's voice cut through her reverie.

"Oh!" Daphne started, then nodded. "Sure. Yeah, I can help."

As Daphne stood up, her hands rested on Lena's bare arms, nudging her to move to a chair further from the main group so that they could have room to work. Velma was getting the first aid kit out from beneath the front seat. Seeing her friend was preoccupied, Daphne momentarily squeezed Lena's arms, even digging her well-manicured nails in. As Lena suppressed a yelp, Daphne's hand gently, but firmly, rapped her on the head to silence her. Then the redhead's face was right in front of hers, and Lena's voice bubbled down to a barely audible whimper that died in her throat.

"You listen here, missy," Daphne hissed softly, "You're not getting off scott-free. I know this is just a damn act, just like the first time. Sooner or later you will slip up. And I will be here to watch every second of it."

Lena's eyes grew wide, fighting the urge to reach for Simone, who was busily talking – no, now it's more like arguing – with the other members of the group. Sigh. But that was Simone's way, Lena had figured out. She means well, but she's just… Set in her ways.

"But, Miss Blake, I-"

Another, very hard, tap on the head.

"I'm gonna be all over you," Daphne growled, "Like butter on a crawdad. Or.. Whatever you rednecks say. Guess that's what happens when siblings marry each other."

Lena swallowed again, feeling the hurt and the anger boiling inside her gut. She wanted to go somewhere quiet and cry, but she was a strong girl, and held her composure – but just barely. She was a Southern lady. She would not stoop to Daphne's level of childishness. She nervously glanced toward Velma, wondering just what was taking her so long.

Poor Velma was still on the hunt for that first aid kit – beside her was a pile of various junk: fast food wrappers, empty soda cans, even the occasional squeaky toy. This pile was steadily growing as she burrowed deeper under the seat, moving more trash out of the way.

With a look of concern briefly crossing her face, Lena reached under the seat as well, catching Velma completely by surprise.

"Lena! Your shoulder-!" Velma exclaimed, but Lena grinned.

"I kinda just wanna get away from the chatter for a few seconds," Lena chuckled, but the mother hen that Velma can be, shook her head.

"Shouldn't be flexing your shoulder like that. It'll prolong the bleeding."

"But the kit-"

"Oh, I'll find it," Velma assured, "Just get back into the chair and relax that shoulder."

"Alright, lemme just back outta- Heeeere-!"

Velma turned in shock as Lena was suddenly yanked backward with lightning speed, her fingers leaving ten little tracks against the grain of the shag carpet.

Lena was hurled back into the chair and was again eye to eye with Daphne, who only shook her head.

"Nope, you aren't leaving my sight," the redhead told her plainly.

Velma finally found the first aid kit, buried under all the garbage. After making a mental note to clean the van out, Velma emitted a rather exasperated sigh and an eyeroll, then approached the others holding the tin box. "Ta-da!"

"Woah, woah-!" Simone barked.

Velma was sorting through the kit's contents when she looked up. "Huh?"

"Is there iodine in that kit..?" Simone inquired, glancing over Velma's shoulder.

"Well, yeah?"

"I was afraid of that," Simone sighed.

Lena gripped the chair until her knuckles turned white, and Velma realized this wasn't going to end well. "Do I dare ask why…?" the bespectacled woman asked, but Simone had turned to the others.

"Beau?"

"Oh! Yes, Miss Lenoir?" the detective asked.

"You will have to hold her down."

Moments later, the group is administering first aid to their companion's injuries. Lena was not all that thrilled about having to be put into a headlock by Beau, but it was the only way to keep her still – the fact that Simone and Fred holding her arms down was also quite helpful.

As Velma worked, Shaggy and Scooby waved to their patient.

"Like, hey, Lena!" Shaggy called out, "Check this out! Hit it, Scoob!"

Scooby then proceeded to perform a series of silly little dog tricks to keep her attention off of the pain – and only in the way that Scooby-Doo would do them: elaborately. Play dead (which included a white lily), beg (he clasped his forepaws together and sobbed) – then a few tricks Lena wasn't sure were actual dog tricks. Scooby spun a basketball on his nose. Oh, now he was showing off.

But she smiled softly, appreciating their efforts, and continued to watch.

"Heh… That's some talent there," Beau chuckled down at Lena, and she in turn glanced up. He grinned softly.

"I'm not really sure I could do any of those things myself!" he laughed, pointing.

Scooby was spinning plates.

Just then a seering pain burned into the cut, and Lena jolted violently, and out of Beau's grip. They must be administering the iodine, Beau thought, as he tried to regain his grip on her. Another shot of the iodine struck her and Simone roared, "Beau, hold her still!"

As Lena jolted and wrenched in pain, Beau suddenly tore away from her.

"She just bit me!"


	9. Chapter 9

_I've heard that it was done to you  
Is that why you do what you do?  
Well that's no excuse, no  
And if it felt like hell to you  
Then why'd you want to put them through what hurt you?_

Are you happy now  
That you've brought them down?

I-I-I I don't think so

Are you happy now  
That they're on the ground?  
And do you realize the words you say make bruises that don't fade away  
Are you happy now  
That you've brought them down?  
And they're thinking that they won't fit in  
'Cause you said something's wrong with them  
Are you happy now?

_Megan and Liz; Are You Happy Now?_

As the Mystery Machine rumbled down the streets of the French Quarter, the group continued to discuss their predicament. Lena was oddly silent, feeling the tension between herself and the redheaded diva in the front seat. She simply listened in and gave the occasional nod, but when Daphne looked in her direction, Lena looked away as she felt the cut on her shoulder sting.

"It's not like the museum is going to let us take part of their exhibit," Fred mused aloud as he drove.

"And the island is in no condition to provide proper shelter for them," Velma sighed.

"And, like, that cat god statue is too heavy! I bet it wouldn't budge even if all of us moved it," Shaggy added.

"There has got to be a way," Simone growled from the backseat. She was sitting beside Lena, her arms crossed in deep thought. "Otherwise the incidents will continue."

At that moment, the radio blared to life:

_We have just received a report of yet another assault downtown. This is the fifth in a string of violent assaults this week, and steadily getting worse. One of the victims is currently undergoing emergency surgery in the hospital. Suspects were described as being dressed as pirates and wielding swords. Be on the lookout, stay inside if you can!_

"Fred," Beau instructed, "Turn down the next street. We're headed downtown."

After scouring the streets of the downtown district, the gang rolled up on a warehouse on the corner. What made it stand out was the bright yellow flicker of police tape preventing public access to the empty parking lot.

"Looks like our spot," Fred said to everyone, and parked across the street outside a restaurant.

"What? We can't just tromp through a crime scene!" Lena gasped.

"Well, technically no," Beau replied softly, "But in this case, I can make an exception."

"We have plenty of experience at this sort of thing," Velma told her reassuringly as they all piled out.

"…In what? Trespassing?" Simone asked.

"Tampering with evidence?" Lena added.

"Hey! We have good reasons for doing it!" Fred chided defensively.

"Like, besides, our expertise is breaking and entering," Shaggy told them.

"Oh my god," replied Simone with an exasperated sigh. "But… It's for the good of the mortals…so please. Lead the way."

With Beau leading the way, the gang plodded forward, and passed under the police tape.

Upon investigation, it was clear that the majority of the crime scene had been cleaned up. Everything was invisible to the humans, but Scooby's nose came alive and soon, his muzzle was to the ground and he was busily snuffling about.

As the group watched, Scooby took a moment to pick out the scents of the victims, the police, and even the blood the pirates themselves had drawn. At that moment, an unbelievable stench filled his nose, causing the Dane to wail and fall backwards. He darted back to the gang, his tail tucked between his hind legs and tugging frantically at the clothing of the nearest human – which happened to be Simone.

"Ah-! Why, you-!" Simone began to scold, until Shaggy gently shushed.

"He's picked up something! And it's a big one!" he exclaimed, pointing at Scooby, who was nodding.

"Rirates! …R'undead rirates!" Scooby howled, grabbing his nose and gagging.

"Yeah, the whole stench of death thing is always a downside," Velma said to nobody in particular.

Just then, a series of loud crashes sliced through the silence from inside the building. Fred, Daphne, and Velma bolted toward the sound, while everyone else stood there and watched for a moment.

"Do not explain," Simone said to Shaggy, "This is common. Right?"

"Yep."

Reluctantly, the other half of the group followed. When they caught up, Fred had pulled the steel door open – apparently the attack had been so sudden that management hadn't secured the lock after evacuation.

"Everybody in!" Fred declared.

The lights were still on, forcing the gang to turn off the flashlights that they always seemed to have on hand. With a shrug, Fred lead everyone forward in a tight cluster. They all cast their glance around, but all they could feel was the silence in the building; it was so intense that the group could hear their neighbor's breathing.

Predictably, the group split a few yards later. Daphne lashed out and gripped the back of Lena's collar.

"I said I'm not letting you out of my sight," she growled, and Lena nodded.

Lena followed Fred and Daphne, casting a glance over her shoulder as Simone went off with Beau and Velma, while Scooby followed Shaggy in another direction. She realized at that moment, that she would be separated from her centuries-long companion for the first time.

Rounding a corner, the lights suddenly cut out, engulfing the trio in blackness. Fred and Daphne had their flashlights on in seconds, throwing beams of light around frantically. One of said beams hit Lena square in the eyes, blinding her.

"Sorry," Fred chuckled.

They meandered without incident for a few moments, until a pale blue glow flickered in the periphery of Daphne's vision. Turning her head to face it, all she could get out was a "What is tha-" before an explosion of white light shot toward her. A blast of pain  
blew through her temple as she was backhanded and sent to the ground. She landed with a dull thud, and the flashlight clattered to the concrete, spinning.

Fred knealt to Daphne's side as her vision cleared. She saw the flashes of purple from Lena's shoes as she rushed into the darkness. The redhead grew irate, struggling to her feet.

"It was her!" Daphne roared, snatching up her flashlight and giving chase. The redhead's gait was still wobbly but it was wearing off. Fred darted after the two women.

The sound of Lena's heels tap-tapped around a wall of crates, and Daphne didn't slow as she ran. She did notice though, that the eerie blue light had reappeared and was becoming brighter. Daphne could see Lena's silhouette about ten feet ahead now, and her blood boiled.

"LENA!" Daphne screamed, beelining.

Her legs pumped hard, her teeth gritted, her grip on the flashlight tightened, as she got closer. Fred's calls blurred and sounded so far away, and everything seemed to slow down as she got closer to Lena. One thing Daphne noticed though, as she got closer, until she was right before her – Lena wasn't even looking at her, but instead, toward the blue light.

"Lena-OOF!" Daphne grunted as Lena suddenly leapt at her, tackling her to the ground as another white streak of light shot through the space they had been standing.

"Stay down!" Lena yowled, as she used her body as a shield from the white slashes that whipped around them – among the terrifying vision, they could hear gutteral laughter.

Fred came upon the scene just as a streak hit him in the gut and sent him down. Catching his breath, he scrambled to the women and tried to protect them from the onslaught.

At that moment, the others came rushing forward, skidding to a stop as the image of Morgan Moonscar appeared in the blue glow, laughing triumphantly before the room went black once more. After a moment, the lights started to come back on above them.

Fred, Daphne, and Lena sat back up. As the color returned to their faces, Lena stammered, "I-I'm sorry! The light scared me so bad that I took off without thinking."

"You wuss!" the redhead scolded.

"I was never brave, Miss Blake. I'm sorry for running," Lena gulped.

"Woah, woah, Daph!" Fred interjected as they all stood, "She did save you, too."

Daphne's seething glare slowly abated as she remembered Lena tackling her out of the way. With a growl and then a sigh, she nodded.

"Uh, well, thank you," Daphne murmured. "Guess I…shouldn't be so harsh then." Lena smiled nervously and nodded once, and the group moved forward once more.

"Lena did what now?" Beau asked Fred.

"She pushed Daphne out of the way and kept her down until you guys got here. The pirates were attacking us and they ran right into the crossfire."

"Bold," Beau replied with a hint of admiration. "If you don't mind, I'm just… Gonna go check on her."

The detective dropped back to the rear of the group, where Lena was bringing up the back. He fell into step beside her and grinned.

"Hey," he said softly, "That was really something. Well, from what Fred told me, of course."

"Why thank you, officer Neville," Lena blushed. She wasn't used to compliments.

"Just call me Beau, mon Cherie," Beau replied.

"Huh? What'd you call me?"

"Nothing!"


End file.
